Sparkler Crabapple - Malus 'Sparkler' [2]
Rose Family: Rosaceae
This elegant crab specimen is 58 years old. Grows to 20 feet and spreads to 25 feet.
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  Sparkler Crabapple - Malus 'Sparkler'
'Sparkler' crabapple's rose-pink flowers are a spring highlight. Newer varities are more disease
resistant, but this spreading tree still yields deep red fruits and winter food for birds.
Crabapple is well-adapted to compacted urban soil, tolerates drought and poor drainage well and is somewhat tolerate of salt-spray. Well adapted to all areas within its hardiness zone range, including Texas and Oklahoma. Very adaptable tree. Do not overfertilize, since this could increase the incidence of disease. Select only from disease-resistant cultivars. Crabapples grow well in the Texas panhandle but are not extremely drought tolerant and are not well suited for high-pH soil.

Large-fruited types can create a maintenance problem because rotting fruits attract insects and rodents and are quite messy. Some crabapples sprout vigorously from the roots, and these will require regular pruning to maintain an attractive tree. Trees used as street trees will require regular pruning early in their lives to train lower branches for pedestrian and vehicle clearance.

There are hundreds of crabapple cultivars with single or double red, pink, or white flowers, and varying fruit size. Many are cultivars of Malus baccata and Malus floribunda. Since disease resistance can vary depending on where a particular cultivar is grown, be sure to choose a cultivar that has been shown to be resistant to disease in your area. Your urban forestry program could suffer if you plant the wrong cultivar but it could blossom if the correct ones are installed. [4]
Abstract. Seventeen crabapple (Malus) cultivars planted under utility wires in 27 communities were evaluated as street trees. In most communities, 2 cultivars were alternated within each of several plots. Cooperators in the Municipal Tree Restoration Program used standardized methods to measure them annually at the end of the growing period for 3 years and periodically afterwards until the ninth year in some cases. Many differences were found in growth rate, height, crown width, and trunk diameter. Most cultivars had healthy foliage, though some injuries were caused by apple scab and several insects. Basal sprouts were common, and low branching of broader cultivars also required periodic pruning especially in confined spaces. Centurion®, Harvest Gold®, Red Jewel®, ‘Spring Snow’, and Sugar Tyme® are recommended as street trees based on the most extensive data. ‘Adams’, ‘Donald Wyman’, ‘Prairiefire’, ‘Red Barron’, and zumi ‘Calocarpa’ also appear promising.

Key Words. Crabapple; Malus; ‘Adams’; American Masterpiece ®; American Spirit; American Triumph; Brandywine®; Centurion®; ‘Donald Wyman’; Harvest Gold®; Madonna®; ‘Prairiefire’; 'Purple Prince'; ‘Red Barron’; Red Jewel®; ‘Sentinel’; ‘Snowdrift’; Sugar Tyme®; Velvet Pillar; zumi ‘Calocarpa’; street trees; performance testing. [3]
Sparkler Crabapple - Malus 'Sparkler'
Sparkler Crabapple - Malus 'Sparkler' , Morton Arboretum acc. 143-55*1, from a planting, is 58 years old. [2]  

METHODS
Twenty-six communities in Pennsylvania and 1 in Maryland planted the trees represented in this report. Three of the communities had 2 tests planted in different years. Community representatives chose
the planting sites with assistance by utility foresters, service foresters, and Extension urban foresters; 2 of these usually assisted each community. Each test planting consisted of 2 cultivars, except in Dundalk, Maryland, where there were 3, and the second test in Mansfield where there was 1. A typical test consisted of 2 cultivars planted alternately within 4 to 10 plots that could contain 4 to 16 trees each a total of 50 trees. All test trees were planted along streets and under electric conductors; the utility company arranged for removal of large trees that interfered with utility lines. Both cultivars for a community were ordered B&B from the same nursery, with a caliper of 4.4 or 5.1 cm (1.75 or 2 in.); heights ranged from 2.4 to 3.7 m (8 to 12 ft). The cultivar tests were planted between 1987 and 1996. A trained cooperator inspected and measured the trees annually during the first 3 years, and then at 3-year intervals. During September or October, a service forester or Extension urban forester used standardized methods to measure tree height, trunk diameter at breast height (dbh), and crown width, and to classify foliage health, branch health, trunk health, maintenance needs, and an overall quality rating). Causes of damage such as disease, insects, drought, and mechanical injuries also were recorded. [3]
-- Read the rest of this abstract at: CRABAPPLE CULTIVARS TESTED AS STREET TREES: SECOND REPORT .pdf

Sparkler Crabapple - Malus 'Sparkler' requires very little pruning but any that is needed should be completed before late spring, to ensure dormant flower buds are not removed. Trees used as street trees should be trained to develop a central trunk and should be occasionally thinned to eliminate water sprouts or crossed-branches, and to open up the crown. This allows for better air circulation through the crown and helps reduce disease.

Crabapples are also useful as median trees where the fruit will fall away from pedestrians. Placed in the lawn area as an accent so they receive occasional irrigation, Crabapple will give you years of wonderful flowers and showy fruit. It is best to locate them away from a patio or other hard surface so the fruits will not fall and cause a mess. Set it back just far enough so the crown will not overhang the walk, but close enough so the flowers and fruit can be enjoyed. American Masterpiece grows in moist, well-drained, acid soil in full sun locations for best flowering. They are not recommended for sandy soil due to their inability to tolerate drought, but any other soil is suitable, including clay. [1]

 

Sparkler Crabapple - Malus 'Sparkler'
 

Various cultivars of genus Malus and their attributes:

Malus x 'Mary Potter' 'Mary Potter' Crabapple white flowers, red and fairly large fruit, susceptible to scab and powdery mildew; 'Red Jade' - weeping habit, white flowers, red fruit persisting after leaves drop; 'Sargenti' - dwarf, pink bud opens to white flowers, small dark red fruit; 'Snowdrift' - white flowers, orange red fruit; 'Tanner' - white flowers, red fruits, susceptible to diseases; 'Tschonoski' - white flowers, vigorous growth, good bronze red fall color, fruit brownish; 'White Angel' - white flowers, glossy red fruit persisting into winter; 'White Candle' - pink buds open to white flowers, red fruit, upright growth habit; 'Zumi Calocarpa' - white flowers, bright red persistent fruit. Pink flowered cultivars include: 'Arnoldiana' - red buds, pale pink to white flowers, red and yellow fruits, susceptible to diseases.

 'Barbara Ann' - double pink flowers; 'Beverly' - pink flowers, small, bright red fruit, upright open habit; 'Brandywine' - double, pink flowers, foliage tinged reddish; 'Candied Apple' - red buds and pink flowers, persistent bright red fruits; 'Coralburst'- pink flowers, a dwarf about eight feet tall; 'Dorothea' - red buds, pink flowers, yellow fruits, susceptible to scab; 'Hopa' - pink flowers, red and yellow fruit, extremely susceptible to scab; 'Margaret' - disease-resistant; 'Mount Arbor Special' - disease-resistant, red fruit; 'Oekonomierath Echtermayer' - somewhat weeping habit, redbuds, pink flowers, red fruits; 'Pink Perfection' - pink flowers, susceptible to scab; 'Prairie Rose' - double pink flowers, no fruit; 'Radiant' - red buds, pink flowers, persistent red fruits, susceptible to scab; 'Van Eseltine' - double pink flowers, columnar; 'Velvet Pillar' - upright form, pink flowers, red fruit and purple foliage; 'Weeping Candied Apple' - pink flowers and red fruit on horizontal to pendulous branches.

Cultivars with red flowers include: 'American Beauty' - double, red flowers, susceptible to scab; 'Centurion' - a columnar growth habit, red flowers followed by bright red, persistent fruits; 'Indian Magic' - red flowers, maroon fall color, small red fruit, persistent; 'Purpurea Lemoinei' - dark rose color flowers, alternate bearing; 'Profusion' - red flowers and fruit; 'Red Baron' - red flowers, susceptible to scab; 'Red Silver' - red flowers, red fruit, susceptible to scab; 'Red Splendor' - red buds, red to pink flowers, red fruit, susceptible to scab; 'Royal Ruby' - double red flowers, sparse red fruit, susceptible to scab; 'Royalty' - red flowers, red fruits, young foliage purple, susceptible to scab; 'Selkirk' - red flowers, red fruits, susceptible to diseases; 'Sparkler' - red flowers, red fruits; 'Tomiko' - disease-resistant, reddish-purple blooms; 'Wisley' - red flowers. [1]

References
  1. USDA National Forest Service Fact Sheet 393, Malus x 'Mary Potter'
  2. Sparkler Crabapple - Malus 'Sparkler' , Morton Arboretum acc. 143-55*1, photographed May 4th, 2009. Photographer: Bruce J. Marlin
  3. Henry D. Gerhold, Journal of Arboriculture 26(1): January 2000, CRABAPPLE CULTIVARS TESTED AS STREET TREES: SECOND REPORT .pdf
  4. Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Malus x 'Jewelberry' Jewelberry Crabapple

 

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